Down by the water
by SpaceWolves
Summary: When Itachi gets a breath of freedom from Kabuto's Resurrection-jutsu,he finds his way into a forest clearing,and thoughts from his life flood his head.Soon enough he finds out thoughts are truly powerful and that he isn't alone in the clearing.


_Here guys, this is most likely my first-one shot. I wrote this during the summer on my phone's notepad. Strange huh. But I think I'm quite happy with it :) Unlike my other fics which are unrealistic, this one beats them with the realism, I guess you could say. The fic corresponds to the current Shippuden manga, stopping at the point where Itachi and Nagato meet Naruto and Bee. When I was thinking for the name for this fanfic, I realized that it was centred about water; I thought about songs that I knew about it, and realized what the whole story was based from, Down by the Water by an incredible band called the Drums. So yeah, explanation for the title, haha._

_I hope you enjoy it! I worked hard on this one :) R&R!_

_Love,_

_(disclaimer: I don't own naruto)_

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><p><span>xxx<span>

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><p>"Here, I wrote a poem for you. After you treated me I couldn't help but to do this'" The bandaged man said. Because of the ninja headbands now, she couldn't tell which village he was from. And anyway, it didn't matter.<p>

She took the poem and smiled the man, "Thank you- this is very flattering. But- there's already someone else-"

"Oh I thought there would be- no matter," the man smiled at her and then trotted out of the tent.

Sakura look at the poem and then set it aside. There's someone else. Someone else. Really? She chuckled with irritation at herself. As always, the dark haired Uchiha was on her mind. And he always, always will be.

But why? Why on earth? Why won't you realize he is never going to come back? He's gone, forever. Get over it.

Please.

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><p>After the bizarrely long conversation the two travelers had, they began to walk once more in silence. Quietly trotting the paths, avoiding large camps as they were told. Or are being told to.<p>

Obviously this whole ordeal pissed the Elder- dead too- Uchiha to no end. How dare someone do something like this? He battled his last battles, he spoke the last words he wanted to speak, his plan followed through perfectly. And to what? Was it all in vain? Was it all just done so that everything could be spat back in his face and gloat?

Most likely no, but this was his own current small dilemma. He truly hoped he wouldn't have to see his younger brother. Some things are just better left alone. After such an exit he had from his past, living, life- he did not want to ruin all that by just a mere greeting.

His mind began to direct to present matters. For a dead person, Nagato was pretty heavy. Itachi wasn't going to complain, it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. He just felt things now, but he didn't feel the pain that came with it, or strain or any form of agony.

Ahead of them was a forest. They were heading towards the mountains. They could rest here. No those weren't his thoughts, those were Orochimaru's. Or … no, that wretched bastard that brought all of them back. Suddenly he felt a small burden lifted of his shoulders and by the feel of Nagatos weight on him. Nagato too.

"Did you feel that?" the man asked in his deep soft voice.

Itachi merely nodded and set the other man down on a rock, the red robes shuffling to and fro, and then coming to a rest.

"Something big must have happened in the Battle if he let go of us-" he said, then murmuring, "I wonder what..."

Itachi didn't reply. He didn't want to sit down. With this newfound freedom, he wanted to move around, see if there was some way out. Because to the Uchiha, there was nothing worse than the feeling of being controlled and watched.

With that thought, he got up and began to walk off. Nagato didn't say anything; a silent mutual agreement was passed.

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><p>The raven haired man approached a stream. He leant down and touched the water. He could only feel the coldness and the freshness of the water as if it were far, far away. In anger, he hit the water and then got up to step away.<p>

He sat down, and rested his hands on his knees, watching the stream with its tiny waterfall. It was so beautiful. He forgot about _looking _at things since his death. He was always so busy doing things, planning things, killing people; too much went on in his previous life. Not like right now was a different, but the fact that he could sit down and enjoy beautiful scenery was good enough for him.

The calm moment could not last for the elder Uchiha. His mind was used to attacking things, moving quickly, not resting in the same position for too long.

He began to think about what truly annoyed him to no end. It was the same thought that kept coming back to his head, over and over and over again since he was- revived one could say. It was unbearable when he was alive, but now when he is half-dead it's just ridiculous.

The thought was constantly there. Even if he began thinking about something else, it would come back, continuously. For the past several days they were walking, he'd been pushing it away, far into the corners of his mind. Only now had he decided to finally take a small glance in its direction.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and let the thought of a pink-haired girl dance through his dark mind just as she danced with joy with every step she ever took when she was with him. He couldn't help but to wonder where she could be. How she was doing, was she alright, was there someone else already?

He doubted it; she was always so committed to healing, to helping others.

It was funny, how they ended up with each other.

Well, not exactly _ended up_.

But it was bizarre, despite Itachi's own kind actions towards his village and his younger brother.

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><p>She lost another one. She lost another patient. The tent was silent, nothing but the breathing of the other medics, nurses and the heart-rate machine. The ugly sound of the continuous beep drove her out of her mind. In anger, she threw it across the tent-room. It crashed and the noise stopped. Everyone stared at her in shock. She didn't care, she lost another one.<p>

It was her 30th dead man in the week. And only three days passed.

Exiting the tent she took her medical cap and mask off and threw them on the floor.

"Sakura!" Shizune called from behind her, she heard the woman's footsteps run after her. Sakura was _not _in the mood to talk. Instead, she too broke into a run and disappeared into the forest that was nearby.

Shizune stopped her run and stared after the kunoichi. She sighed and after a few moments went back to heal more men.

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><p>Sakura didn't know how far she'd gone. But she knew she was running faster than she ever had before and she knew she was farther than she ever was from the Medic camp.<p>

She was glad for it. The sight of blood, broken and missing limbs, men and women in agony scared her. Her chakra was depleting and even with her experience working in the hospital, she still never lost so many lives.

_Thirty. Thirty people are dead because you are insufficient, incapable. _

The number scared her, angered her. She finally stopped and dropped down to the ground. The tears burst from her eyes and she cried and cried until she didn't know where she was going. The trees were thick now, and she looked for a way out. She was lost.

She was always taught to follow a stream or a river, following any sign of water would always lead to your release. To safety, to home, to happiness, to _help. _

Sakura listened to water; it took her and hour, or two. She was beginning to feel guilty and sick, how many people had just died because of her slight tantrum? She yelled out in anger.

Suddenly she heard a small waterfall in the distance. A happier expression appeared on her face and she ran towards it. She ran and ran and ran, until finally, it led her to a dead end. A clearing. The waterfall was small, with a large rock wall next to it. The ground was green the flowers wilted due to the cold. She looked near the pool of water and saw someone sitting there.

She was sure it was male. The person lifted his head and who sat there shocked her. Her breath escaped through her lungs. She felt as she was being drowned. Chills ran up her spine. What was this? Was it a _ghost?_

But finally, just as they had eight months before, the green eyes met with the red. The green wide with utter shock, the red keeping their stoic expression.

Sakura stared, she stared at the figure she used to drape her hands around, inhale his own special musky scent no other boy she ever was with ever had. Hardly believing the bizarre sight. She stared at the figure she used to kiss and talk to. She stared at those pale features she used trace her fingers over, devouring and analysing so that she would never, ever forget. She remembered the last time. She remembered it so well. The tears, the knowledge that she would never see him again, the thoughts that she would never talk to him ever again, the fact that no one would call her _Sakura_, in that same voice that he had ever again.

All this came rushing back. She watched the man, half afraid, half wanting to run in joy, and leap into his- most likely cold arms. A thought hit her head. They warned her about this. The half dead zombies were controlled by Kabuto. But no information of whether they possessed their old feelings was told to her.

Not that he even ever had any feelings other than lust and cruelty.

They stood like that for what seemed an eternity, until Itachi began to walk towards her.

Suddenly, Sakura was terrified. Terrified beyond belief. She never felt like this before, no other spar or battle with other ninjas from other villages on dangerous missions ever got her this afraid for her life. Adrenaline surged through her body as the older Uchiha walked towards her like a starving raven, ready to circle in on its kill.

She wasn't going to let this happen- no.

Pulling out two kunais, both longer than the average length, she yelled at the man, "No! Stop! Don't come closer. "

He stopped. Something flashed in his eyes. Hurt? Betrayal? Rejection? What was it? But something in Sakura began to light up because she knew that if she blinked, if she dared blink at that moment, she knew she would have missed the tiny, tiny miraculous sign of feeling. Perhaps the Uchiha still possessed his old feelings.

Perhaps.

Still with the stoic expression, Itachi spoke, "Hn, are you afraid of me now-" he stopped, and then after a moment spoke again, his voice a deep murmur loud enough to be heard, that same voice, never-changing even in death, "Sakura?"

She narrowed her eyes in annoyance, "Even dead, you're still rude," she spoke, a tiny smile playing on her lips. She allowed herself to lower down her arms, letting herself be vulnerable. _As if she never was before when she was with him.__  
><em>  
>He looked at her, in a gaze that would make her truly uncomfortable- <em>if<em>it were coming from someone else. His eyes travelled down her body and then slowly back to her pale face. He saw the worry and stress and insomnia and intense loss of sleep in her eyes. The dark bags under her eyes gave her away quickly too. The happy spark in her walk and battle stance was gone too. He noticed it was weak, he knew she was kidding both him and herself when she put those kunais up. If he was forced to attack her, she would have no chance. So why was she even trying?

Sakura knew this too. And as the raven haired Uchiha began to approach her, she didn't even try to protect herself. Her gaze was stuck in his eyes; those pools of red-blood didn't let her look away.

Soon enough they were inches away from one another. She seemed to have grown a tiny bit, but he still was able to look down and she had to tilt her head slightly upwards to get a full view of his face.

She dared herself to lift her hand and touch his cheek with one, long, pale finger. It shocked her how cold he was, but she did not pull away. She then rested her full hand on his face and murmured, "you're so cold..."

At this he couldn't help but to let a tiny smirk play on his lips, "I _do _wonder why Sakura-San." he murmured once more.

She smiled shyly back, letting out a chuckle. She then traced her fingers over his face, tracing and devouring the curve of his nose, his cheekbones, forcing it all into her mind. Making sure she will remember it for the many years to come.

She then pulled her hand down his neck, and onto his red coat, unzipping it down to his stomach; she pulled her hand down to where his heart would be- no pulse.

This scared and everything in her body told her to move away, to turn, and to run away. To escape.

But no, she did the exact opposite; she flung her arms over his strong shoulders and wrapped them around his neck. They stood like that until he finally sneaked his hands softly around her hips, barely letting her notice.

"Why did you have to go and kill yourself?" she murmured into his neck, holding on, never wanting to let go.

He wanted to laugh at this. To anyone that might not know her, she would seem so naive.

With her warm body pressed against his, he wanted to groan in joy, it was so nice to feel something so warm. Like the cold water, her warmth was distant, but he grabbed on to it, and didn't let go. She smelled like she always did, the scent of her pink hair was slightly hidden by the smell of blood and medicine, he guessed she was with the medics.

He pulled her away from his neck and she rested one arm around his neck, the other gently on his chest. A look of surprise was on her face, and then it slowly faded away as she reached up- and kissed him.

Itachi didn't stop her; he responded and let her wrap her arms around his neck. The kiss was gentle first, but then got pulled into something so much more intense. Itachi pulled her legs up and she responded by wrapping them up around his waist. Still kissing, he pushed her against the mountains stone wall.

To Sakura, the kiss felt as if she was a dying fish, hungry and greedy for oxygen, oxygen to be given to her the way she wanted it. And finally, finally someone threw her back into the water. It felt as if she was stuck in a burning building, and once escaping she was engulfed with priceless gulps of fresh air. She felt his soft hair; she recognized the same kisses he always gave her. The kisses that were now trailing down her neck, when suddenly- they stopped.

When they didn't continue after a while- Sakura furrowed her eyebrows together- terror suddenly rising through her body. She was locked- he held her tight. All of a sudden, he burrowed his against her shoulder and held her tight. A precious item he never wanted to let go of.

After what seemed like a decade, he breathed in and lifted his head towards her ear and spoke, "In a moment, you will have to run, far, far away from here. You can't look back and you can't come back. "

As always he never mentioned an _alright Sakura-san?_ or _Do you understand Sakura?_Always the constant order. But Sakura was in no place to object and she nodded. She let her legs down but didn't let go of his neck.

Suddenly she felt his body stiffen up. He suddenly felt much colder, more distant. More far away.

He threw her aside onto the ground and outstretched a hand and held onto the stone wall, the other hand gripping his head. Kabuto's thoughts and orders were coming back into his head, but she was still here. Angry he turned around and glared at her, "Why are you still here?" the calm demeanour was gone and Itachi looked infuriated. Sakura never saw him like this before.

About to cry she began to step back and then broke into a backward jog. Looking at him for the last time, she turned around and as she was about to leave the stream meadow she heard him call out her name in his calm voice again.

Turning around in hope, she saw his stoic expression was back. She knew there was no hope. It was all gone. Now it was over. This encounter specifically told her- it's over.

He watched her pained expression as he spoke the last words he would ever say to her. The goodbye she never received. The farewell that would hurt Sakura for a very, very long time. She waited for what he was going to say, her breath cut short. When he finally spoke, he said the words that she heard many years before, this time- they made her feel much better than when they were spoken long before.

The onyx eyes stared into the emerald ones, the words he said were the last thing she saw about Itachi that _was _Itachi, before it turned stone cold into a dead man controlled by a psychotic mastermind's favourite snake.

"Thank you."

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><p><em>End<em>


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